Tuesday, October 27, 2009

wow! it's good to be fortino in seattle!

Thank you to all who came to the Seattle show - there are a lot of you!  While we were excited to introduce the new "fortino" to the world, we were a little nervous too... being a new design and all... you never know! Not to worry, the design and the quality of our new house was so well received, we are more excited by the response! 





We want to thank in harmony for their outstanding landscaping, let them re-introduce you to nature through your own backyard! Also, big thanks goes to modern design sofa who not only did a beautiful job with furnishings and artwork, they are also comfortably priced. Thanks to decks by jrw who made getting in and out of the house and gardens easy!


Also special thanks to the seattle home show who always does such a terrific job. It's always a well planned, well presented event. Seattle is lucky to have their spring and fall shows!


Introductory show pricing on the new "fortino" extends for orders received by December 15, 2009. It's a great price and if you're even close take advantage!


THANK YOU SEATTLE! Look for upcoming cool stuff from ideabox.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

it was the night before the home show....







... and all through and all around the house, a lot of activity was stirring, fortunately nothing requiring a bouse, but almost! (look it up)  The new fortino house from ideabox is simply amazing, it truly is a modern home that lives well beyond its small footprint. Surrounded by a wonderful landscape designed and installed by Seattle's In Harmony, we've created a little oasis in the heart of the city.  The interior features furniture and artwork from Modern Design Sofa, bringing out the livability of the spaces.










It is a house that needs to be seen. The house is.... well.... it's really nice.


The Seattle Home Show is now - we can't wait to show you our new house!

Monday, October 19, 2009

ideabox announces show pricing

ideabox announces pricing for the new "fortino" model, set to debut this week at the Seattle Home Show.  The new 1,250 SF 2BR/2BA model, with the typical ideabox "its all in there" palette of materials and finishes, is being offered at $148,750. For orders placed by December 15, we're offering special show pricing at $142,250.  Further, for a $5,000 reservation deposit received at the show, we'll add an additional $1,000 toward furnishing your new ideabox with furniture from our Seattle Show furniture partner, modern design sofa.

For more information, come see us at the Seattle Home Show starting Thursday, October 22, 10:00 AM, at Qwest Field.  If you can't make it to the show and are interested in all the details, email us at tellmemore@ideabox.us or better yet, call 503.510.4789.

We hope you can see new "fortino" at the Seattle Home Show.  We can't wait to show it to you!


It's Monday of Show Week!

If you have visited our website lately you hopefully saw the countdown clock on the front page. At first it was kind of fun, one of those cool website features that makes the site more fun. When it went it up the novelty was great!  "Look at our countdown clock....!" we would exclaim.  Back then, the infamous little clock thing was counting down from sixty days. Time was on our side. It was fun!


Today I took a look and it's like TWO days away.... and the emphasis has shifted from "how cool is this" to "wow, it's only TWO days away!" 


We are so excited to present this house. The "fortino"  represents a new urban emphasis for ideabox with a design that works as easily on a tight infill lot as it does on a site with territorial views. It's why we worked with the Seattle Home Show to present it.  It's why we have such a great team demonstrating what you can do with landscape, decks, and furnishings..


We look forward to seeing you "at the show!"



Saturday, October 17, 2009

urb-appeal enroute




It's on its way! The newest dwelling from ideabox left this morning bright and early and has now literally arrived Seattle. Tomorrow it will move into the Qwest Field conference center next to the stadium. Of course, the Seahawks need to play their game first - but once they're done, we're moving in. A lot of activity begins both inside and outside the house - but in a couple of days it's like the house was always there, except for the whole living in Qwest Conference Center thing.


It is an amazing transformation. First, the house in installed by Ivy Construction who put the two pieces together and make it a complete house. Our guys get everything all ready on the inside. All the while, landscaping by In Harmony will be taking shape around the outside.  Decks will be built by Decks by JRW. Then the modern  furniture from Modern Design Sofas will complete the installation. The whole thing is orchestrated by Mike Kalian and the Seattle Home Show crew who have an amazing ability to handle any and everything.


And then it's on with the show!  More to follow, stay tuned...


The new "fortino" by ideabox. We can't wait to show it to you!



Friday, October 9, 2009

Are you ready? We are!



It's almost showtime! A new generation of ideabox is about to begin with The Seattle Home Show and the official introduction of our new house. It's exciting for us who have lived with the design from the initial concepts through design development to walking through the finished product.

In the last week the quartz composite kitchen & bath counters and the concrete and broken glass island counters were installed. Following that the stainless Kitchenaid appliances completed the kitchen and the Kohler Ying Yang vessel sinks and fixtures were installed in the baths. The finishing touches to a northwest modern design.

With our incredible fall weather of bright blue skies, crispy air, and changing colors we've had all six of the 8' tall sliding glass doors open swallowing it all up! We can't wait to get the decks off all the rooms, the very cool landscaping surrounding the house by in harmony sustainable landscapes, and interiorscape by modern design sofas.

And if that isn't enough, (I mean you would think that is enough already), we are planning on some exciting "purchasing opportunities" we'll be announcing shortly.

A quick aside - I had a couple of meetings in Seattle yesterday - one of those quick up and back days on I-5. Except that yesterday offered a truly breathtaking fall sunrise, cascading layers of fog and sun, and the color of the trees coming to life as the sun rose higher in the sky. And then leaving Seattle to catch that awe inspiring vision of Mt. Rainier against a foreground of changing leaves glistening in the afternoon sun. Then, almost like nature's own sequel, equal views of Mt. Saint Helen against the later evening sky.

It's that stuff that makes life.... life!

Monday, October 5, 2009

Terrific turnout from Green+Solar Tour

Saturday provided a bright and crisp fall day for the Salem Green+Solar Tour. It was a terrific soft opening for the new ideabox fortino modern prefab. The new house was universally received beyond expectation. (Especially because the house isn't finished yet!) We are looking forward to the "official" debut in Seattle, October 22-25, at Qwest Field.

I want to thank all of you who came to see the new house. Not only is it great to see you, your comments contribute to the development of our models. Hoping those of you who we pointed in the direction of our local wineries found them!

Also want to thank Cindy, Taylor, Greg, Buzz and Black Rock Salem for sharing your time, talents, and coffee with our guests.

Saturday was our third year participating on the Salem tour. You can see in the questions, comments, and conversations that the conceptual aspects of living more efficiently is moving past concept and to reality. Awareness and education has certainly grown. More people were working on new construction or remodeling projects employing improved thermal shell applications and active solar technologies. As solar PV production increases in Oregon plants and newer technologies find their way to the market, the reality of site power generation could be entering into its renaissance.

Exciting times.






Friday, October 2, 2009

fortino SNEAK PEEK 09



We're very excited to offer a sneak peek of the new fortino, tomorrow (October 3) from 11 to 4. The house isn't completely finished yet, but enough that you can walk through, experience the spaces, and see what green modern living can be like. Black Rock Coffee of Salem is sponsoring what we are now calling, "sneak peek 09" offering free coffee drinks at its Lancaster location (w/ coupon).

Saturday will be a great day to enjoy a brisk fall afternoon in Oregon. Visit Salem, see the next big thing in small living from ideabox, enjoy a Black Rock coffee drink, maybe check out a few wineries or a pumpkin patch, (find some of those apple cinnamon donuts...). For information, please call 503.510.4789 or visit http://www.ideabox.us